


The Mother

by Burgie



Category: Star Stable Online
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-29
Updated: 2018-04-29
Packaged: 2019-04-29 13:18:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,049
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14473563
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Burgie/pseuds/Burgie
Summary: I love this ship so much, even if it's a crack ship, just the idea is... I really like it. Jessica has some news for the Hermit.





	The Mother

**Author's Note:**

> Takes place before Jonas Hightower is born, which I think was before New Hillcrest existed (assuming that Old Hillcrest went kaboom only recently like 50 or 60ish years ago if not sooner)

The Hermit was surprised when a pale figure approached his cottage from out of the mist. At this time of the month, she usually didn’t visit, but that was fine. He suspected that she was a very busy woman who didn’t always have time to visit her beloved. Besides, she’d told him quite a few times now that he was her little secret. He really hoped that she wouldn’t get into too much trouble for continually visiting him, but hopefully it would be okay. It had to be, she wouldn’t insist on visiting him if the risk was too great.

He stood outside his cottage, at the edge of where his lanterns’ light reached, waiting for her. The sight of her smile burned away all of the morning chill in the air, making him smile in return.

“Jessica,” he said, his smile turning into a grin. Jess grinned back at him, walking until she could wrap her arms around him. She was sodden, as ever when she visited and had just emerged from the ocean, but he still didn’t mind that one bit. “Well, this is a pleasant surprise.”

“I had to see you,” said Jess, beaming up at him as she still had her arms looped around behind his neck.

“I missed you too,” said the Hermit, dipping his head to kiss her. While most young men the Hermit’s age were courting sweet farmgirls from neighbouring villages, the Hermit had found his love washed up on the shore. The closest place was Crescent Moon Village, a place that was far away over land and an old bridge that would surely fall down at any moment. It felt like the whole thing could come down at any moment, especially with all of the mining companies over there. But he didn’t concern himself with the trifles of the townspeople. He was quite happy here, with his cottage and the wild ponies and his mermaid.

Jessica returned his kiss, but she seemed to be a little distracted as she continued on her way into the cottage. Once inside, she took her robe, a lovely, soft maroon piece of fabric, from the hook by the door and pulled it on over her shoulders, belting the fabric around her waist. The Hermit shut the door behind him before heading into the kitchen to fill the kettle with water and then hang it above the kitchen fire to boil.

“So, you had to see me, eh?” said the Hermit, already busying himself with getting out teacups and teabags and sugar.

“Yes,” said Jess, taking a seat at the table. She smoothed her hands down over her hair, drying it in such a way that it became silky-smooth and shiny, and then placed her hands on the table. They trembled slightly.

“What’s wrong?” asked the Hermit, sitting across from her and taking her shaky hands in his. She took a deep breath, closing her eyes slightly.

“I’m late,” said Jess, opening her eyes again and looking up at him. She looked so scared, which only served to further confuse him.

“No, you’re actually rather early,” said the Hermit. “I wasn’t expecting you for another few weeks.”

“No, I-“ Jess took a deep breath and then let it out in a sigh. “The reason that I usually don’t visit you at this time of the month is because the blood would attract all kinds of predators, and I can’t exactly keep the right products here.”

“Then why are you here now?” asked the Hermit, raising his eyebrows in surprise. Jess gave a nervous little laugh, reaching across to brush some of his brown hair away from his brow. He had nobody to cut it and she had no idea how to cut hair, so it was always too long. She kind of liked that ‘wild’ aspect of him. The man who lived out in the wilderness with his ponies.

“I’m here because I don’t have that issue this month, and I won’t have it for the next few months either, unless this is an unusual one. But I don’t think it is, otherwise I wouldn’t be late,” said Jess.

“What are you saying?” asked the Hermit, taking her hands again and squeezing them. Now Jess looked even more nervous, almost shrinking in on herself.

“I’m pregnant,” said Jess, looking down at the table and then flicking her eyes back up at him. She seemed so uncertain, so afraid. The Hermit stared at her in surprise for a moment, his mind trying to register this fact. He was going to be a father. No longer would he be alone out here on the heath, he might soon have his child here, and his wife if she’d have him, and… but he was getting too far ahead of himself. Instead, he just grinned, standing from the table. Jess returned his grin, tears of delight in her eyes at the look of sheer delight on his face.

“I’m going to be a father,” the Hermit whispered, tears of joy in his own eyes as he came around the table and hugged his girlfriend. Jess laughed in delight as his arms came around her, anchoring her to this spot and this time.

“Yes, you are,” said Jess, beaming now as she stroked her fingers lovingly through his hair. “And nobody and nothing is going to stop us from being a happy family.”

The Hermit kissed her, not even minding as the kettle began to slowly bubble over, ignoring everything else in the room, in the world, for the moment as he celebrated the joyful news with the woman who owned his heart.

After changing out the usual black tea for a different brew, one that was healthier for the expectant mother, the Hermit sat down at the table to talk with his mermaid about her news.

“We’re probably going about it a bit backwards, aren’t we?” said Jess with a laugh. “Usually, the baby comes after the marriage.”

“Only because the baby was conceived before the marriage and the marriage had to take place to seem proper,” said the Hermit. Jess let out a bark of laughter that surprised her, though she had definitely been surprised at her boyfriend’s blunt honesty. But she knew it to be true.

“Would that it were that simple for us,” said Jess, taking a sip of her tea and then smearing her finger through some spilled water. “But, alas, I am married to my job, as it were.” The Hermit was silent for a few moments, deep in thought, before he spoke.

“Will your, er… condition have a negative impact on your job? Will you still be expected to work while pregnant?” asked the Hermit. He wasn’t a man easily brought to strong emotion, but right now, his blood boiled at the thought of his precious mermaid having to perform dangerous tasks while carrying their child. 

“No,” said Jess, shaking her head, though a more serious expression darkened her face for a moment. “I’m actually taking some time off to stay here with you until the child is born.”

“Only until?” asked the Hermit. Jess swallowed some more of her tea.

“We can never have a normal family,” said Jess, trembling as tears gathered in her eyes. “And I hate it.” She wrapped her hands around her cup, her shoulders shaking, and she broke down into sobs as the Hermit came around behind her and embraced her.

“Hey, it’s okay,” said the Hermit, gently rubbing her back. Jess shook her head, removing her hands from the cup before she could break it.

“No, no it’s not okay, my sister was so upset at me and I knew she would be, and now I’m going to have a child that I can’t even be around for, I’m the worst mother,” Jess sobbed. The Hermit made soft hushing noises as he continued rubbing and patting her back, as though he was calming a distressed horse. And he had calmed many; horses who had injured themselves by falling from the many high cliffs, horses who had miscarried or given birth to stillborn foals, even just horses who had known other poor souls that had plummeted from the cliffs or gotten swept out to sea.

“The child will be safe with me, I can assure you of that,” said the Hermit, looking her in the eyes. Jess wiped her tears away with the palms of her hands, sucking in air. “And I know that you will do everything in your power to come and visit it as often as possible. Just as you still come out and visit me at every opportunity, despite the difficulties.”

“I know that, I’m just- so scared,” said Jess, shakily picking up her cup. “This is my first pregnancy, and I know what to expect from my sisters, but I’m still so scared. And I’ll be out here, away from civilisation, not that I’d be able to go to a hospital anyway with my need to remain hidden and keep it a secret, and I just don’t know what to do if something goes wrong.”

“I have presided over many a foal’s birth,” said the Hermit. “And, though a human birth will be significantly different and more difficult, I’m sure that the two can’t be too different. But I will ask around whenever I go to the village, and bring back any information that you need.”

“And if the people start to ask why you’re suddenly so interested in childbirth?” asked Jess. “And pregnancy?” The Hermit smiled gently at her.

“I’ll just tell them that I want to be prepared, just in case a lost traveller comes to my door and goes into labour,” said the Hermit. “It will be fine, my dear. I promise.” He caressed her hair and Jess smiled at him, glad to have his support. One of them needed to stay level-headed, after all.

To celebrate the good news, the Hermit travelled into town, leaving Jess on her own to rest in the cottage, and came back with a large cut of lamb to roast. He had his own vegetables in his garden, which Jess helped him to gather while the meat began to cook. He did have an oven, he just preferred to prepare hot drinks over the fireplace.

“I’m glad that you taught me how to do this,” said Jess as she pulled carrots and potatoes from the ground. She also sawed through a vine to gather a pumpkin, which would last them for several days before the seeds were returned to the garden plot.

“Living out here, everyone needs to lend a helping hand,” said the Hermit. “Though, er, you are of course welcome to rest if you need to.” Jess chuckled.

“Oh, don’t worry, the weariness of pregnancy hasn’t kicked in yet,” said Jess.

“The fact that I found you sleeping when I returned from market would suggest otherwise,” said the Hermit, raising an eyebrow at her. Jess blushed.

“That was me crashing from all of the adrenaline and fear finally catching up with me, and the feeling of safety, of course,” said Jess. “I’m perfectly fine now, though. Fit as a fiddle.”

“Is that so?” said the Hermit with a wry smile.

“Yes, it is so,” said Jess with a nod. The Hermit chuckled, returning to examining the little basket that they were using to gather the dinner things. After plucking off some beans and peas, he stood with the ease of one so young as him.

“I think this will do us for dinner,” said the Hermit. “Let’s take these things inside. Are you up for a walk afterwards?”

“Oh, um… yes,” said Jess after thinking about it for a moment. It would be safe enough, she was sure. The Hermit would take her inland, possibly to seek out the wild pony herd, and the only danger there was a cranky old tree that had unknowingly brought them together months ago.

And it was nice, to stand out on the wild heath, surrounded by the Welsh ponies who lived here and the man who loved her. Jess had never felt quite so safe and secure, despite her risky predicament. But it would be okay. He would look after her. She knew he would.


End file.
